TripAdvisor to stop selling tickets to attractions that breed, import captive dolphins and whales

TripAdvisor will stop selling tickets to attractions that keep whales, dolphins and porpoises captive, the company announced Wednesday.

In a press release, the company said that it will no longer work with commercial organizations that breed or import these mammals for display. TripAdvisor, as well as its Viator brand, plan to remove all attractions involving these activities by the end of 2019.

{mosads}”Our aim is not only to prevent future generations of whales and dolphins from being raised in captivity, but also to encourage the industry to move towards alternative models, like seaside sanctuaries, that will better provide for the needs of the current captive population,” Dermot Halpin, the president of experiences and rentals, said in the release. 

TripAdvisor will not eliminate seaside sanctuaries from its options because these locations care for animals already in captivity, the release states. 

The company’s move comes as part of its animal welfare policy that began in 2016. TripAdvisor has previously banned events that put consumers in physical contact with captured animals and “demeaning animal shows and performances,” according to the release.

SeaWorld and Loro Parque will be affected by the change in policy, James Kay, the director of corporate communications for TripAdvisor, told The Guardian.